Fugitive now faces new charge

FARMINGTON — A St. Francois County man who police say fled to the Philippines after being charged with child molestation is facing a new charge.

Larry R. Bable, 52, formerly of Farmington, was recently indicted on a Class D felony charge of Failure to Appear. He was scheduled to be arraigned Friday before Circuit Court Judge Kenneth W. Pratte, but waived his right to have the charges read to him.

If convicted of this charge, he could be sentenced to up to four years in prison.

Bable is already facing two counts of first-degree statutory sodomy and two counts of first-degree child molestation involving a child less than 14 years old. The abuse allegedly occurred between 1999 and 2003.

He was denied a change of venue and the case has not yet been scheduled for trial.

The St. Francois County Sheriff’s Department brought Bable back from the Guam in July.

Bable had been indicted by a grand jury in March of 2005. Shortly after the charges were filed, Bable disappeared and police were unsuccessful in tracking him down.

Bable was found in the Philippines and was taken into custody by the Philippines Immigration Intelligence Division on Feb. 27.

Bable was then deported to Guam, a territory in the Western Pacific. Members of the St. Francois County Sheriff’s Department brought Bable to the St. Francois County Jail on July 17 from Guam. He is being held there on a $125,000 bond.

Teresa Ressel is a reporter for the Daily Journal and can be reached at 573-431-2010, ext. 179 or at tressel@dailyjournalonline.com.